Window regulator



Dec. 12, 1933. ACKERMAN 1,939,158

WINDOW REGULATOR Filed May 27, 1929 A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 12, 1933 ,7 1,939,158 WINDOW REGULATOR Edward L. Ackerman,

Detroit-Mich assignor to Ackerman-Blaesser-Fezzey, Inc., Detroit, Mich, a corp r t n of M c n Application May 27, 1929. Serial No.366,224

3 Claims.

invention relates to window regulators of that type ordinarily used in conjunction with the windows of automobile bodies and is located in the sash receiving pocket of'the door or the body as the case may be, and the object is to provide a new and unique device by means of which a sash may be moved up or down and locked in any predetermined position in the window frame.

A feature of the invention is in the construction by which the window regulating arm is maintained in engagement with the sash whereby pressure is applied thereto approximately on a center line thereof in any of the possible positions of the sash.

Afurther feature of. the invention is to provide a sash. counterbalancing spring in conjunction with the regulator arm and a second spring adjustable in tension and so arrangedthat the sash may be caused to automatically move upwardly in its'way. Within the scope of the invention the two springs together may be practically sufficient to counterbalance the sash and the adjustable spring, under such condition of installation and operation, providesa means to adjust the spring tension to the weight of the may vary in different installations. For'instance the glassed sash of a doorQwhieh is usually less in width than the rear windows of an automobile body, is less in weight and thusas heretofore made the regulator is not universally adapted for use with various weights of the sash. In my arrangement as hereinafter described the tension of the spring may be adjusted for any of the usualautomobile windows, and therefore, by my construction it is possible to provide a standard device that is adjustable for use with sash of various weights. V

It isa further object of this invention to provide a device of very simple construction and of few parts principally formed of stampings to secure thinness of structure as is necessary in positioning the samein a sash receiving pocket and also-to secure a reduction in the cost of manufacture and assembly. 7

These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more" fully described and claimed, and the preferred form of construction of a window regulator embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which- V Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved window regulator.

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken from the upper side of Fig. 1.

sash which Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-"3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an adjusting tool. In its preferred formthe device consists of a base plate 1 here shown as formed of two parts 2 and 3 riveted together asby rivets 4. The base plate may be formed of a single piece if so desired. Also, this base plate is to be understood as being secured to the lock board of, the window or door frame (not here shown) positioned at the top of the sash receiving pocket as is commonly the practice in this art and the base plate may be provided with several apertures 5, 5 to secure the plate to the lock board.

The base'plate has a, depending portion 6 on 7 oneside thereof which is apertured to receive a shaft 7 rotatably supported therein as will be understood from Fig. 3. This shaft extends to opposite sides of the base plate and on one end is secured a gear segment 8 and the opposite end shown in Fig. 1 is slotted to receive the inner end of a flat spiral coiled spring 9. Rotatable on this end of the shaft and between the spring and the plate as shown in Fig. 3 is a toothed adjusting disk 10 having a series of apertures 11 circumferentially arranged near the periphery. These apertures are provided for the insertion of a screw 12 which passes through an aperture 11 to a'threaded aperture (not shown) in the base plate. Said base plate is also provided with 35 an aperture 13 beyond the periphery of the gear teethfor use of an adjusting tool illustrated in Fig. 4 which has apin 14 to engage in the aperture 13, and a series of teeth meshing with the teeth of the member 10. By means of this tool the plate 10 may be turned on removal of the screw 12 to bringany of the apertures 11 to registr'ati'on with the threaded aperture therefor in the base plate. The outer end of the spring 9 is secured to a pin 14 which is fastened to the toothed member 10' and thus the turningof this member 10, as stated, in one direction or the other will increase or decrease the tension of the spring 9 as may be required in adjusting the regulator for any particular installation.

Mounted on the plate 1 is a control device indicated generally at 15 and this control device may be of any desired form for instance such as is shown in Letters Patent of the United States to myself and A. Z. Zwierzina No. 1,657,561 of January 31, 1928, or in my pending application for Automatic window lift, Serial No. 362,556, filed May 13, 1929.

In the control device shown in the patent (which is substantially the form illustrated in Fig. 1), a handle is applied to the shaft 16 and the gear 17 of the control device, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, is turned to turn the gear segment 8 with which it is in mesh. In either the control device, as shown in the said Patent No. 1,657,561 or in the said pending application Serial No. 362,556, a gear element corresponding to the gear 17 here indicated is utilized to engage the teeth of the gear segment 8 and to control its position and movement. The gear segment is provided with an extension or arm 18 which is pivotally attached at 19 to the regulator arm 20. This regulator arm carries a roller 21 at one end which is to be understood as engaging a way therefor provided on the sash as is "the usual practice in this art. The opposite end of the arm 20 has a pin 22 extending laterally therefrom and through an arcuate slot 23 formed in the portion 3 of the base plate at its lower edge which is raised slightly to bring the face of the plate on opposite sides of the slot outwardly beyond the plane of the part 3 as will be understood by the line 24 of Fig. 4. Pivotally mounted at one of its ends on this pin 22 is a lever 25 which is pivoted at its opposite end 26 to thebase plate. 1

The outer end of the pin 22 is slotted to receive the inner end of a flat coiled spring 2'7, the outer end of which is secured in a slotted pin 28 secured to the arm 25, and'it will benoted that both the pin 14 and the pin 28 for the respective springs 9 and 27 are so turned or positioned as to apply pressure to the coils of the spring to hold them out of contact one with the other thus relieving frictiorn Also, the metal of the, plate opposite the slot 23 is raised to hold the major portion of the length of the lever 25 from frictional contact with the plate 3. v

Upon movement of the gear segment 8, caused by operation of either character of control device with which this regulator is adapted for use, the window regulator arm is moved; If the gear segment 8 is moved in the direction of the arrow thereon the regulator arm and therefore the roller 21 are raised which causes the opposite end of the regulator arm. and shaft 22 thereon to move outwardly to the right in the slot 23. As this roller 21 passes the axis of the shaft 7 the pin 22 is at the extreme end of its movement toward the right and further movement of the gear in the direction stated raising the roller 21 above the center line of the shaft 8, causes the pin 21, to retraverse the slot 23 towards the left. By reason of the arcuate form of thefslot 23 the roller 21 will not be maintained at all times exactly at the center of the sash between the side,

edges thereof but will vary slightly to one side or the other of such position but is maintained sufliciently near the said center line as not to cause a binding of the sash in its way as would be true if the pressure were applied near one edge or the other of the sash as is commonly the practice. 1 a v r This arcuate form of slotis preferable in utilizing the lever 25 in pivotal relation with'the regulator arm 20 and the spring 2'7 therebe tween. Bothof the two springs described apply their 7 pressures to the window regulator arm 20. 'As one of the springs is adjustable in tension, the device may be made on standard production basis and may be applied to windows of various weights either to counterbalance the sash by an adjustment of the spring for such purpose .or by increasing the tension of the adjustable spring to such extent that the spring pressure applied to the arm is sufficient to automatically raise the window when the control device is released. This regulator is adaptable for use with two types of controls as is hereinbefore mentioned.

It is possible to dispense with the slot 23 as the parts will function in the described manner whether a slot be provided or not. I' prefer to use a slot as such arrangement provides a means for preventing the pivotal point of the regulator arm 20 with the lever 25 from moving laterally and thus prevents rattle.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the device is extremely simple in construction, the major'portion of the parts being formed of stamped sheet metal and the remaining parts requiring but little machine work; that the device is also narrow in width, as will be. realized from Fig. 2, adapting the same for use in the sash receiving pocketas is usual with the regulators for windows of an automobile body, and that the various objects of the invention are attained by the construction described.

Having thus described my invention, what I lever being pivotally mounted on the plate, a flat coiled spring having its inner end attached to the endof the pin, a pin fixed to the lever to which the outer end of the spring is attached holding the spring under tension and thereby tending to turn the regulator arm relative to the lever and to hold the regulator arm in pressure contact with the sash, a shaft rotatably supported in the base plate and I extending from opposite sides thereof, a gearsegment attached to theshaft at its radial center andpivotally-connected adjacent its periphery with the regulator arm substantially equidistantly between the ends thereof, a spring on said shaft, an adjusting plate on the shaft between the spring and base plate, a pin attached to the saidadjusting plate, the outer end of the spring being, attached to the said pin, means for turning the plate to vary the tension of the spring, means for securing the plate in the adjusted position, and a control device including a i'is gear segment providing .a means for predetermining the position 1 the segment may occupy about. its axis. V

2. In a window regulator, a base plate having an arcuate slot, a regulator arm provided at one end withmeans extending into the slot to turn therein, the opposite end of the arm beingadapted for engagement with the sash, a'lever pivotally connected at one end to the plate and at the opposite end to the portion of the regulator arm extending through the slot, a shaft rotatably supported in the plate, a gear segment attached at its centers to one end of the shaft and being pivotally attached adjacent its periphery to the regulator arm intermediate its ends, a spring attached'to the shaft, an adjusting disk rotatable on the shaft to which the other end of the spring is attached, means for adjusting the position of the disk about the shaft to adjust the tension of the spring, and a control deviceby means of which the rotative position of the gear segment may be determined.

having a shaft fixed thereto at one of its ends,

said base plate having an extension on one side of which the end of the regulator arm extends and an arcuate slot to receive said shaft on the regulator arm, a lever having one end mounted on the said shaft of the regulator arm, the arm and lever being in pivotal relation and the other end of the lever being pivotally supported on the base plate, and a fiat coiled spring having one end connected with the shaft of the regulator arm and the other end with the lever tending to raise the regulator arm, said slot being arcuate in form of a radius substantially equal to the distance between the said regulator arm shaft and the pivot point of the lever, the regulator arm at its opposite end being adapted for operative relationship with a sash and being pivotally supported intermediate its ends to the gear segment.

EDWARD L. ACKERMAN. 

